A Touch of Human Kindness
by Heartfelt
Summary: Duo Leads a Life of Fear and Prostitution, only an angel can save him from his life. But are there any angels left in the world?
1. Part 1

Disclaimer: Don't own anything Gundam Wing, only wish I did (sigh!) The original characters are mine, ALL MINE!!!  
  
Title: A Touch of Human Kindness  
Author: Heartfelt (mvheart@hotmail.com)  
Archive: Whoever wants it!!! Just let me know first, onegai.  
Pairings: 1x2 (I'm leaving the rest of the guys out of this one)  
Category: angst, OOC, AU, Yaoi  
Warnings: LEMON (and plenty of it), Language, Violence, Duo torture, a bit of Relena bashing (but I don't really dislike her)  
Spoilers: absolutely none  
AN: Heero goes looking for his sexual identity and finds a chance for true love. Duo and Heero are about 20 years old in the beginning. Key: 'thoughts', *italics*, **flashback**  
Feedback: Yes, yes, please, yes!!!  
  
Part 1  
  
'What am I doing? This is nuts.' Heero Yuy shook his head as he sat in his car. It was nearly midnight on the L2 colony. The neighborhood was dimly lit and seedy in appearance, which fit its purpose well. Down the block, Heero could see two prostitutes waiting for customers. Customers like him.  
  
As he sat, Heero stared at the 'working girls', thinking about what had brought him to such a pathetic place. "Relena," he mumbled to himself. His co-worker had made no secret of her feelings for him. In the two years he'd worked for Colony Communications, not a day had gone by where Relena hadn't made herself a nuisance. She flirted, she stalked, she left him little 'gifts' on his desk. She generally made his life miserable until five days ago when he'd confronted her.  
  
(Start flashback)  
**"Look, Relena, this has got to stop," Heero said after he'd found her latest offering.  
  
"What's wrong, sweetie? You don't like edible underwear? Come on, I got strawberry. You said you liked strawberries."  
  
Heero tried to stay calm as Relena closed the door to his office and backed him up against the wall. She smiled at him and, putting her hands against his firm chest, tiptoed up to kiss him. Heero's cobalt blue eyes flashed with annoyance and not a little anger as he firmly, and not too gently, grabbed her arms and pushed her away.  
  
"Relena, I'm sorry but I'm not interested. I've tried to tell you nicely but you just won't listen. What more do I have to do?"   
  
Relena felt her face get hot at this blatant rejection. However, she was nothing if not persistent, and it wasn't as if this were the first time he'd tried to give her the brush off.   
"Heeeero," she purred, giving him a dazzling smile. "Why don't you let me make you dinner? I'm sure if we spent some time together, you'd see that you have no reason to be shy around me…" She stopped suddenly as Heero let out a groan of pure frustration.   
  
"Look," he growled, "I don't like you, Relena. I don't appreciate you following me around the office. I don't appreciate you leaving pornographic materials on my desk. But most of all, I hate the way you don't seem to be able to take a hint. What are you, stupid? I said I don't like you and I meant it!"   
  
His voice had steadily risen during this speech until the entire office could hear him as he yelled the last bit. Relena, face red as a beet, was mortified. She couldn't understand why he didn't like her, why he didn't want her. All men wanted her. She was beautiful. Her long honey-blond hair framed a perfect, willowy figure. Long lashes framed her blue eyes and her pert little nose sat over a luscious mouth. As long as she could remember, men had fawned over her. All men had loved her, until this one man. 'What makes him so different? What is it about me that he doesn't like?' Suddenly, the perfect explanation, the only one that made any sense, dawned on her.   
  
"You're gay! Oh my God! No wonder you don't like me, you don't like women period," Relena shouted at a stunned Heero.  
  
Heero gaped at her in disbelief. Could she be that self-centered that she would rather think he was gay than accept the fact that he just didn't like her? "You're crazy, Relena. Get out of my office," he said in a soft menacing voice that would have frightened a sensible person. But Relena was anything but sensible.  
  
"Think about it, Yuy. When was the last time you've been on a date? When was the last time you've spoken to a women outside of work? I've kept tabs on you and in all the time I've known you, you've never done either. However, I did see you looking at the new mailroom guy the other day. He's quite a hunk, wouldn't you say so?" Relena had warmed to the topic and wore a satisfied smirk at having solved the Yuy mystery.  
  
Heero's face lost all expression as she rambled on. However, it wasn't completely anger that had made him go blank. Thinking back to two days ago, he remembered seeing the new mailroom worker. The young man was about Heero's age and was a veritable Adonis. Blond hair and steel gray eyes dominated a chiseled face which topped a model's body. Heero remembered how his breathing had quickened when he first saw the young man.  
  
'No way! She's just crazy. I am not gay! Just because I thought that guy was attractive doesn't mean anything.' Heero's breath caught as he realized what he'd just thought. 'I thought that guy was attractive? Yes, I did. Is that a normal thought for a guy to have about another guy?' Heero stared at Relena in shock, not because of what she was saying, but because she might just be right after all. **  
(End flashback)  
  
Heero sighed as he thought back to that conversation he'd had with Relena a week ago. In the ensuing days, the idea that he might actually be gay had haunted him. He hadn't been able to sleep and had barely been able to eat. It wasn't that he was a homophobe. It was just that, if it were true, Heero would have to completely redefine himself. His entire life and lifestyle would change. How the world saw him and how he saw himself would be forever different. After a week of sleepless nights, Heero had had enough. He was never the type to sit and agonize over amorphous possibilities. If he was a homosexual, he would deal with it. However, he had to know for certain. That was why he was sitting in his car at midnight in a neighborhood known for catering to all types of appetites.  
  
As Heero looked at the two prostitutes down the street from him, he realized that the taller one's shoulders were too broad for a woman. Even though the person had a braid that had to be at least a meter in length, it was clearly a man. The feet and hands were too large and the stance was too masculine. The male baishunfu was wearing short black denim cutoffs, emphasizing his narrow hips. Tall and slender, he was wearing a tight black mesh jersey that clung lovingly to each well-defined muscle. His long, tanned legs were bare and ended at well-worn black combat boots.   
  
Even at a distance, Heero felt himself somehow drawn to the carelessly slouching figure. The man was leaning against the wall of a nearby building and was talking to the woman prostitute standing next to him. Although his posture was casual, Heero noticed that his eyes never stopped searching the street. Occasionally, the man's eyes lit upon Heero's car but moved on when Heero just sat there. As Heero started his car and moved towards the two, the man's eyes fixed upon the car.   
  
**~~**  
  
It had been a rather slow night but Duo was grateful. Even though it would mean he'd have to dip into his money stash to eat the next day, Duo preferred spending his night talking to Hilde rather than working. They had been talking about how much they hated their pimp, Smoke. Smoke thought he was such a bad ass, taking pleasure in beating up his girls and boys even when they promptly paid him his share of a job. He had no qualms about freely availing himself of the 'merchandise' either. "Perks of management," he often said with a smug smirk.  
  
Hilde laughed as Duo said something particularly nasty about their boss. Duo kept talking but his attention never wavered from the car parked down the street. 'Is that guy ever going to come down here? If he sits there any longer, Hilde and I are going to have to charge him rent.' "Hey, Hilde, what do you think. Is that guy over there in the market for you or me?"  
  
Hilde casually looked at the car. "Well, since he's been sitting there for nearly 45 minutes, he's probably scared to come over here. So he's either married and is trying to work up his nerve to proposition me, or he's in the closet and is trying to get the courage to proposition you. Since 45 minutes is a bit much, even for a married guy, I'd say you're going to get this job."  
  
Duo had to agree with her assessment. Many a night he'd seen guys drive back and forth or just sit down the block trying to work up the nerve to hire a male prostitute. "You're probably right. I could really use the money. Just a thousand more dollars and I'll have enough to kiss L2 bye-bye forever."  
  
Duo had been in this business since he was 12 years old and at 20 was more than ready to move on. However, since Smoke took 80% of everything his 'employees' made and since Duo had to pay rent and eat, saving money was hard to do. Duo had managed to make some extra money by doing odd mechanical jobs around the neighborhood. Since he was a kid he'd always been good with his hands. But the odd jobs weren't enough by themselves and so Duo was out on the street almost every night.   
  
Duo turned to look at the car when he heard the engine start. 'Finally! I hope this is a quick job. I'm beat.' Duo remained against the wall as the car slowly pulled to a stop in front of him and Hilde. Although the dark street didn't allow him to see the face of the man in the car, Duo could tell the man was looking at him. As he moved away from the wall he mumbled to Hilde, "Looks like you were right." Hilde smiled and gave him her usual, "Be careful and smart." "Always am," he replied, as he ambled towards the waiting car, feeling the knife tucked inside his left boot.  
  
**~~**  
  
As the prostitute approached his car, Heero began to rethink his decision. 'I should just go to a gay bar or something. This is crazy, Yuy.' Heero had decided to use a prostitute to test his sexual preferences on because he'd figured it would be less complicated to just pay someone rather than go through the whole bar scene. Now, however, he was having second thoughts. 'This guy could decide to just rob me and/or kill me. What if he could in no way be considered attractive, by anyone? That would ruin the point of this little experiment. He could have some disease or something…'   
  
These disconcerting thoughts running through his head, Heero was just about to step on the gas and pull off when the prostitute came clearly into view. Heero froze, feeling as though he were falling down a deep hole. Standing at his window, illuminated by a streetlight, was the most beautiful thing Heero had ever seen in his entire life. He could have waxed poetic over the young man's perfect, almost pretty face, slender but muscular figure, and the ridiculously long thick chestnut hair done in a single braid. But Heero noticed none of these things right way. All he could do was sit motionless as he looking into a pair of haunting violet eyes.  
  
Duo had long ago lost any nervousness in approaching a strange man. Although always cautious, Duo had simply been doing this for too long to feel any sort of reticence. This was just a job. Simply a way to make money - no more, no less. Duo felt nothing for his 'clients'. They were johns. They would fuck him, hopefully pay him without too much fuss, and if Duo saw something good in the guy's place, he would steal it with no qualms. Duo wasn't hard-hearted. He'd just had to harden his heart to survive on the streets. Although he really cared for some of his fellow prostitutes - like Hilde - and though he would never intentionally hurt anyone, Duo wouldn't hesitate to use the knife in his boot if necessary. The streets were dog-eat-dog and he did what he had to.  
  
As he approached, Duo studied the car, trying to get a feel for the client. The car was not new but it wasn't junk either. 'Hummm. Middle management maybe. Probably harmless, but you never know. Well as long as this is a simple blow or screw, I'll be happy.' Duo was thinking of how much he could charge the john when the man's face came into view, lit by a lone street light.   
  
Duo's cocky stride faltered as he looked through slightly messy dark-brown bangs and into a pair of incredible cobalt blue eyes set in a handsome Asian-featured face. The combination was startling and very striking. Unlike most of Duo's customers, the man in the car was young, no older than Duo. Instead of the usual look of perverted lust, the young man had the look of a deer caught in headlights. He looked dazed and not a little afraid. He also looked like he would gun the car and bolt at any minute. Not wanting a job to get away - and feeling an uncommon bit of compassion - Duo softened his customary sultry sneer into a genuine smile.  
  
Heero had to remind himself to breath when the longhaired young man - and he was young, about his own age - leaned into the car window. As he looked at that inviting smile, he realized that the experiment was over. 'Well, I'm definitely attracted to men, or at least this one. Definitely.' But rather than telling the man 'thanks, but no thanks', Heero continued to stare at the man. He felt pinned in place by those knowing eyes and the thought passed through his sluggish mind that he would be quite content to just look into those eyes for the rest of his life.  
  
Duo realized that the man was just going to sit there and stare at him. He found it disconcerting, not because he wasn't used to being stared at - he knew he was attractive - but because the stare seemed amazed, almost reverent. Clearing his throat, he got the ball rolling.  
  
"Hi," he said. When the man continued to stare, Duo's smile grew bigger. He tried again. "Want some company?" That seemed to shake the man out of his reverie. He blinked and, realizing that he'd been staring, quickly looked away and began to blush. Highly amused, Duo's smile turned into a grin. 'He's actually blushing. How kawaii!'   
  
Heero felt himself flush and got even warmer when the young man grinned. The sexy smile was rather mischievous and made the man seem even younger and more attractive. Realizing he couldn't just sit there all night staring, Heero started to tell the young prostitute that he didn't want to hire him, that he'd made a mistake. But when he open his mouth, entirely unexpected words came out.  
  
"Yes, I'd like some company." Heero blinked as he heard himself speak. 'What the hell did I just say? No, that's not what I meant!' But the young man had already started to come around to the passenger's side door. When he got in, he smiled and Heero found himself blushing again. The inside of the car felt suddenly smaller and more intimate. As he glanced at the prostitute, Heero found his mouth going dry as he realized how close the young man actually was. 'God, he even smells good,' Heero thought with a groan as he got a whiff of some pleasant soap or aftershave.   
  
Heero put the car in gear and drove off. His mind raced as he thought about what he would do when he got home. 'I'll just offer him a drink and some money for his trouble. Then I'll say goodbye. Nothing's going to happen. Well, maybe I could kiss him before I send him away.' Heero rolled his window down as the thought of kissing that perfect mouth sent a bolt of heat right through him.   
  
Heero barely listened as the young man rattled on about Heero's car - although he was surprisingly knowledgeable. When he asked whether Heero was a native of L2, Heero managed a vaguely negative "hn." This started the bishounen off talking about the colony and generally playing tour guide. As he listened, Heero learned that the young man had lived on L2 all of his life. 'I wonder how long he's been doing this for a living.' Heero began to feel vaguely sick as he thought about his beautiful companion going home with strangers night after night. He realized with no little surprise that the feeling was partly jealousy.  
  
After almost half an hour, they pulled in front of Heero's apartment. Heero got out of the car and the young man joined him as he walked up the steps. The prostitute stood close behind him, causing him to fumble with the keys before finally opening the front door. Walking into the apartment, Heero dropped the keys on a side table and walked across the living room. He then turned and looked at the man who was studying his apartment and still talking.  
  
"Oi, you've got a nice place here. It's nothing like my dump, that's for sure." Duo kept talking about the Asian man's apartment and furniture as he surreptitiously studied him. 'He sure is a quiet one. This guy looks too scared to ask me to do anything. He's probably going to try to send me away without paying me anything. I'm going to have to do something drastic if I ever want to get any money out of him.' Sure enough the man interrupted him, mumbling something about getting him a drink. However, his next words surprised Duo, and not just because of the unexpected sexiness of the man's voice and the length of the speech.  
  
"You're welcome to stay for a while but I think I made a mistake. I'm really not the type of person who would hire a … well, someone like you. So, just let me know how much you'd like for your trouble and I'll call you a cab to take you wherever you want to go. Of course if you want something to eat or drink first, let me know."  
  
Duo couldn't believe it. The man had not only offered to pay him for doing nothing, but to help him get home as well. And to top it all off, the man had offered him - the ever-hungry Duo - food! Never in his eight years on the streets had anyone done anything even remotely as nice for him. Duo stared at the man and the man began to fidget shyly under the intensity of his stare. Suddenly, Duo felt the iron band that had long been around his heart loosen a bit. He decided that he would give this man his money's worth, just for being so nice - not to mention so young and handsome.   
  
Smiling a friendly but slightly naughty smile, the young man began to stalk towards Heero. Heero just watched him approach, confused by his actions. Confusion turned into concern when the bishounen came very close to him and put his hands on Heero's shoulders. Concern turned into outright panic when he leaned over and whispered in Heero's ear,  
  
"Don't worry about the money. I'll make sure I earn every penny of it." 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
"Don't worry about the money. I'll make sure I earn every penny of it."  
  
Heero pondered the meaning of these words for all of one second before his brain ceased functioning altogether. The braided beauty started to nibble gently on Heero's ear and Heero tried to remember to breath. Firm lips lightly traced from his ear down to his neck and across to his other ear, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Frozen in place, Heero closed his eyes as he felt the young man nimbly unbuttoning his shirt. Deft fingers trailed over Heero's overheated skin as each button was slowly undone. Finally, the last button was reached and Heero sucked in his breath as he felt those talented fingers brush gently across his flat stomach.  
  
Duo was undaunted at the dark-haired man's seeming lack of response. After first quickly removing his own top, Duo continued to tease the man as he unbuttoned his shirt and was finally rewarded with the man's gasp when he reached his stomach. Smiling to himself, Duo moved on to the man's jeans. Kneeling in front of him, Duo flicked his tongue across the man's tight stomach as he unbuttoned the jeans.  
  
Heero was convinced he was going to expire from sheer pleasure when he felt the bishounen's tongue touch him. Determined to let this go no further, he grabbed the hands working on his zipper. "Look, you don't have to do this," he said when the young man looked up at him questioningly. "Really, I'm not expecting anything."  
  
Duo decided at that moment not to steal anything from this guy's apartment. Smiling, he stood up and led the man to the nearby couch. Duo again knelt in front of him and quickly pulled down the blushing young man's jeans before standing and pushing him down onto the couch. Looking down into the man's startled beautiful cobalt eyes, he said, "I told you, I intend to earn my pay. Besides, you deserve this for being such a nice guy." When the seated man began to speak, Duo placed a finger over his firm lips. "Uh-uh, no more talking for you. Just sit back and relax."  
  
Heero sighed and resigned himself to his fate. However, he had to say one more thing. "At least tell me your name."  
  
Duo hesitated. Though willing to do just about anything for money, he did have three rules. Rule number one was: he never took his braid down in front of a john. Duo couldn't control many things about his life, but his hair was something he had complete control over. It gave him some small measure of security. Those who had attempted to violate the rule met with Duo's knife. Smoke allowed Duo this one small quirk, said it kept him mysterious and thus even more marketable. Rule number two was: no kissing. It was far too intimate a thing to do with a john. Rule number three was: no names. He didn't care about his customers and they sure as hell didn't care about him. But this man was different than any other Duo had ever been with. So, breaking his third rule he said, "My name's Duo."  
  
Heero had noticed Duo's hesitation and sensed that he had been granted a rare privilege. "Watashi no namae wa Heero desu," he replied in kind. Duo smiled again, acknowledging the exchange of information. 'Appropriate name,' he thought, again kneeling in front of Heero. He bent over and placed his lips on Heero's firmly muscled chest, appreciating the difference from his usual old and flabby clientele. Breathing in Heero's pleasant scent, he slowly worked his way down Heero's chest with his lips and tongue, lingering on the flat nipples.  
  
Heero vainly attempted to control his breathing as Duo worked over first one nipple then the other. He dug his hands into the couch on either side as he felt Duo's hands on his knees, slowly running up his taught legs. Heero let out a quiet moan when Duo didn't stop at the edge of his boxers, but continued under them. Duo's mouth moved down across Heero's stomach, flicking Heero's navel with his tongue. He continued to tease Heero with his hands, coming close to Heero's aching hard-on but never quite touching it.   
  
When Heero let out another not so quiet moan, Duo lifted his head and looked up at the bishounen in front of him. Heero's eyes were closed and his head was flung back, resting on the cushion. His mouth was open from his rapid breathing and a fine sheen of sweat had appeared on his face and chest. Satisfied with the reaction, Duo began to tug on Heero's boxers. Heero opened his eyes and met Duo's amethyst eyes with his own intense dark blue gaze. After a brief moment, he lifted his hips and let Duo slide the boxers down and off.  
  
Duo shuddered slightly when Heero again closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Something strange had happened when he'd looked into Heero's eyes. He'd felt something. That in itself was an extremely unusual occurrence. After living on the street for so long, he made sure he never felt anything. It just made life easier. But what scared him most is that he'd felt, not only attraction for the bishounen, but a feeling that this man would somehow be very important in his future, in his life. Duo felt slightly disoriented by the occurrence, but being a professional, got back to business.   
  
'In and out, in and out, you've got to remember to breath … yare-yare!' Heero's attempt to not asphyxiate himself failed when he felt warm air blow across his rock hard erection. He opened his eyes and looked down just in time to see Duo run an agile tongue over his hardness. Heero shut his eyes and let out an animalistic growl as the combination of sight and sensation almost overwhelmed him. Duo responded to the wrenching sound by taking Heero in a practiced move all the way down his throat. Heero let out a near yell and almost jumped off the couch but Duo was not to be deterred. He held Heero's hips down and worked him with his mouth. He started off slowly and very gradually increased the tempo, letting one hand toy with Heero's warm sac.   
  
Heero's knuckles were white from clenching the couch cushion in a Herculean effort not to dig his hands into Duo's gorgeous hair. Sweat poured down his neck and chest. He could see flashes of light before his closed eyes and felt a tremendous pressure building in the area where Duo was slowly torturing him to death. "Doozo, Duo, doozo, ima, ima…," Heero mumbled incoherently. After one last hard suck, Duo decided to take pity on the poor man. Releasing him from his mouth, Duo took Heero's cock in his hand and began to quickly pump him. After only another minute, Heero yelled Duo's name and came in long hot spurts. After what seemed like an eternity to Heero, his body finally relaxed.  
  
Duo, breathing a bit hard himself from the exertion - and something else he didn't care to identify right then - got up and looked at the shuddering young man with a raised eyebrow. 'I think he passed out.' Feeling rather smug, Duo went in search of Heero's washroom. Finding it, he wet a washcloth and looked at himself in the mirror over the sink. Even after all these years, Duo often felt a mild sense of disgust whenever he saw himself. Though not having a choice at the time, he often regretted the direction his life had taken. But for some reason, when he looked at himself now, he felt none of that. Rather than disgust, he felt rather proud of himself. Noticing a slight smile on his face, he shook his head and took the wet washcloth back into the living room.  
  
Heero hadn't moved and looked to be sleeping. Duo gently wiped away the evidence of Heero's passion and again looked at the sleeping young man. 'He really is beautiful. I must have done something right to actually get a customer like this for a change.' Duo returned the washcloth to the bathroom and found the linen closet. Removing a spare blanket, he went back to the living room. He draped the blanket over Heero and bent over him. "Thanks for being kind," he whispered in the man's ear.  
  
Heero heard a low, husky, sexy voice whisper something about kindness. He opened his eyes as much as he was able, though he felt like he'd run a marathon and could sleep forever. He saw Duo's face close to his and smile shyly. Then he remembered why the young man was there. Feeling extremely awkward, Heero stuttered, "Anoo, i-ikura … I-I mean h-how much…"   
  
"Two hundred," Duo said quickly, wanting to end Heero's embarrassment. Heero sluggishly reached down to pick up his jeans and tried to remove his wallet from his back pocket. Feeling very uncoordinated, Heero gave up and just handed Duo his jeans. He closed his eyes and almost immediately fell back to sleep, his recent physical exertion and previous days of missed sleep suddenly catching up with him.  
  
'Why can't I stop smiling,' Duo asked himself as he smiled again at the sleeping bishounen. As Duo took the money from Heero's wallet, he found his smile fading. For the first time since first seeing Heero that night, Duo began to feel disgusted with himself. Pushing down the feeling, he replaced the wallet and put his mesh top back on. After finding Heero's phone, Duo called Bob, Smoke's enforcer. It was his job to pick up Smoke's hookers after a job and to make certain they were paid. Duo left a message for Bob to pick him up at an intersection half a mile away from Heero's apartment. He didn't want Bob or Smoke to know where Heero lived. Duo looked around the living room one last time, letting his eyes linger over the sleeping Heero. "Sayonara," he said quietly. Feeling a twinge of something - sadness, maybe regret - Duo left the apartment.  
  
**~~**  
  
As Duo waited on the corner for Bob, he thought about what he'd felt when he'd locked gazes with Heero and then again after Heero had finally come. He'd felt a jolt go through him when he looked into those amazing blue eyes. 'What was that all about? And then afterwards, I felt so strange. I was breathing hard and my body felt hot. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear I almost had a hard-on.' Duo could be forgiven for not recognizing the signs of arousal. In all his years as a prostitute, he'd never once been aroused, never had an erection, and had certainly never, ever actually come. The men he was usually with disgusted him and he felt nothing for them. Duo wasn't certain that he was even attracted to men at all, although he'd never been physically attracted to a woman either. 'What made this guy different? Sure he was probably the nicest guy I've ever met but why should that make such a difference?' Duo was forced to abandon this line of thought as Bob drove up and stopped in front of him.  
  
"Any trouble," Bob asked in his quiet deep voice when Duo got in the car.  
  
"No," Duo replied succinctly.  
  
"How much did you make?"  
  
"Two hundred."  
  
"Hn," the large man replied, thus ending the conversation. Bob was a man of few words and for once, Duo was grateful. He stared out of the side window, unable to keep his mind from where he'd just been. 'I wonder if he's still on the couch. I hope not, else he'll get a crick in his neck.' Duo rolled his eyes and sat up in the seat at that errant thought. 'Let me just get home and I can put this whole night behind me.'  
  
After a half hour, as Heero lived nowhere near Duo's neighborhood, Bob finally stopped the car in front of a sleazy looking apartment building. This was Smoke's place. All of Smoke's 'employees' had to bring their earnings directly to him after a job. Getting them there with money in hand was Bob's main duty. Without a word, Duo got out of the car and walked towards the building. 'I wonder how long it's going to take him to ask whether I stole anything,' Duo mused as he walked into the building. Duo knew that he was in potentially serious trouble for his lack of theft, but he stood by his decision to not rob Heero.  
  
Duo knocked on the door in a familiar rhythm. 'Smoke just loves this cloak-and-dagger shit.' After a few seconds, the door opened, revealing Smoke in a red pleather jogging suit. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite little bitch. And how did we do tonight, sweetness?" Duo ignored the taunt and brushed past Smoke to enter the apartment.   
  
"I made two hundred for a blow job and that's it. It was a pretty slow night," Duo said, presenting the wad of cash. Smoke took it and counted out forty to give back to Duo.  
  
"Here's your 20%. What did you steal?"  
  
'Hummm … a whole three minutes. That's a record.' Duo had already thought of a response to the anticipated question on the ride over. Pocketing his measly forty dollars, he said, "I didn't steal anything."   
  
Smoke went still for a moment. "What did you just say," he asked in what he thought was a menacing voice but was really rather whiny.  
  
"I said, I didn't steal anything," Duo replied calmly.   
  
"And why the hell not!?"  
  
"I can tell the guy's going to be a repeat customer. No point in pissing him off on our first 'date'." Duo watched Smoke warily out of the corner of his eye. Although Smoke usually acted like a spoiled little kid, he did have a nasty temper. Early on in his career, Duo had ended up in the hospital with broken ribs after trying to withhold money from Smoke. Of course, Smoke hadn't hit him in the face. It wouldn't do to ruin the merchandise.  
  
Smoke pondered Duo's response. After a few moments, he stopped scowling. Regaining his usual annoying smirk, he said, "That good, were you? Okay, but this guy had better pick you up again within the next few days. Bob saw the guy's car when he picked you up. I'll know if you're trying to fuck with me."  
  
"Fine," Duo said and turned to leave. 'Damn that Bob, he's always lurking around.' Though risking a beating, he hoped he never saw Heero again. The feelings - dare he say emotions - he'd felt when with Heero were too much for Duo to handle. He had let his armor slip for a moment and he was already having cause to regret it. Little did he know how much more he would come to do so.  
  
Duo had just reached the door when Smoke was suddenly in front of him. Duo backed up as Smoke leaned back against the door. Smiling in an extremely sickening way, he said, "Now hold on, where do you think you're going? If I'm going to let you get away with only bringing me a measly $160 for an entire night's work, I'm sure as hell going to get something in return."  
  
'Well who knew he could actually do arithmetic,' Duo thought as Smoke reached for him. Whether Smoke was really a fag or just liked to humiliate him, Duo didn't know. Whatever the reason, Duo rarely got through an entire week without Smoke using him at least once. Duo sighed in resignation as Smoke forced a rough kiss upon him. Duo had unfortunately failed to figure out a way to safely apply his second rule of no kissing to Smoke. As Smoke pulled Duo into his messy bedroom, Duo briefly wondered what Heero was doing right then before shutting his mind down completely in order to get through the tortuous task ahead.  
  
**~~**  
  
Heero slowly opened his eyes and looked around in confusion. 'Where am I? Aa, right, the couch.' Heero sat up as the entire night ran through his head. Although Heero was not a virgin - though it had of course been his first time with a man - he had never experienced or felt anything like he had with Duo. Visions of those beautiful but terribly sad amethyst eyes played across his mind. 'I wonder if he even knows how expressive his eyes are. He probably thinks he's hiding his emotions behind that brash attitude, but I could see his pain.'  
  
Heero looked at the clock on his video player. 'Yoji. Wow, I've been out here for almost three hours. I don't remember the last time I slept that well.' Smiling at the blanket that was covering him, Heero stood up and realized he was naked except for his unbuttoned shirt. He picked up his jeans and looked in his wallet. 'Only two hundred dollars gone.' Heero then went to his videophone. Punching in his security code, he pulled up his household inventory list. Each item in the apartment, from his television to his shoes, was catalogued and affixed with a security device. If anything were to pass through his doorway without his permission, the missing items would be revealed by the inventory list. Nothing was missing.  
  
Heero stood there for a moment as he thought about Duo. 'He could have robbed me blind while I was sleeping. But he didn't. Why? Why would a baishunfu pass up such a golden opportunity? If he wanted, he could make sure I'd never find him again. There was absolutely no risk of his getting caught.' As Heero considered this, he thought back to several things Duo had said during the course of their encounter. 'Even though I told him he could just leave and that I'd still pay him, he stayed. Why? Because he said I was a nice guy and that I was kind. Ee, that's what he said to me before he left. 'Thanks for being kind.''   
  
Heero felt a deep sadness as he considered this. 'Incredible. He's so unused to anyone being nice to him that he felt the need to repay me for such a trivial thing. No one should expect so little out of life.' Heero decided at that moment that he had to see Duo again. He was determined to prove to Duo that kindness should be expected. It was not something that needed to be rewarded. Or at least that's what he told himself. As Heero walked into his bedroom, he didn't dwell too deeply on the fact that he wanted to see Duo again just because it was absolutely unthinkable not to. 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
(Start flashback)  
**The fireman looked up at the burning church and shook his head in disgust. "Damn gangs. You'd think they'd have a little more respect for a church. I mean this place was an orphanage, for Christ's sake!" The fireman was furious when he thought about the enormity of the tragedy. The church had been full at the time the fire was set, full of children. There were no survivors. In less that an hour, over 30 children had died as had the priest and nun who ran the orphanage.  
  
"All that priest, Father Maxwell, was trying to do was to get the gangs to leave his kids alone. Who would've thought they would retaliate like this?" The fireman continued to watch the church burn - there wasn't much else he could do - when he noticed the young boy standing nearby. The boy had long chestnut hair done into a braid which hung more than midway down his back. The paleness of his skin made the wealth of hair look like a flame itself. The boy felt the fireman's eyes on him and returned his glance. The fireman shuddered at the dead look in the boy's unusual amethyst eyes. 'My God, I hope that kid didn't live here.'  
  
The fireman's prayers went unanswered. As 12-year-old Duo stared at the flames he felt his life going up in smoke along with the old church. 'I should have been there. It should have been me.' Duo had been out pick pocketing when the gang torched the church. Although Father Maxwell and Sister Helen had begged and prayed for him not to steal, he had done it this one last time in order to get gifts for them. Now Duo looked down at the gold eyeglass chain he'd gotten for Father Maxwell and the pretty earrings for Sister Helen. He let them drop to the ground and covered them with dirt. "Goodbye, Father. Goodbye, Sister." Duo never once looked back as he turned and disappeared into the streets of L2.  
  
Duo had been living on the streets - or rather barely surviving - for several weeks when Smoke found him. Duo was sitting huddled in an alley, trying to make himself eat the half-rotten sandwich he'd found in a dumpster. Smoke stood over Duo for a moment before the boy noticed him and looked up into a pair of small, mean gray eyes. Duo took in the cruel eyes, the unkempt dirty-blond hair, and the yellowed teeth bared in the parody of a smile. Duo looked down, hoping the man would ignore him and go away. His hopes were dashed when the man spoke.  
  
"Well now, aren't you a pretty little thing. Where are your folks, boy?" Duo went a little pale as he thought of the priest and the nun who had been his only family. Smoke noticed this and smiled. "You're an orphan, ain't ya kid? Yeah, well, why don't you come home with old Smoke and I'll take good care of you."   
  
'You've got to be kidding me,' Duo thought. He looked up at the man boldly and shook his head. "Stubborn, are ya? Well, let's just see how long you last out here. When you decide you want to eat something that doesn't have worms in it, come to the neighborhood south of the docks and ask for me." With that he walked away.  
  
It turned out that Smoke was absolutely right. After another two weeks, Duo was so weak from not eating and from trying to outwit and avoid the prowling groups of gangs that he barely had enough energy to make it to Smoke's neighborhood. He went up to a scantily dressed woman standing on a street corner to ask directions.  
  
"Why do you want to find Smoke, kid," the prostitute asked him not unkindly.  
  
"He said he'd give me something to eat."  
  
The woman shook her head. "Boy, he's going to give you more than just something to eat. You'd best steer clear of him." Duo looked at the woman blankly, clearly about to pass out from hunger. The woman looked down at him and sighed. "Well, I guess anything would be better than starving to death." She gave him directions to a building that was fortunately nearby. As she watched him go, she shook her head again, knowing what awaited the pretty young boy.  
  
When Duo knocked on the door, he had a vague premonition of impending disaster and a tremendous urge to flee. However, his growling stomach overruled any contrary intentions. The door opened to reveal Smoke. Smoke looked down at the boy and smiled. "You held out longer than I thought you would, kid. Guess you're tougher than you look." He invited Duo in and got him something to eat.  
  
Duo tried to ignore Smoke as he devoured the two sandwiches he'd been given. Smoke was watching him in a manner which seriously creeped him out, though he didn't know why. Finally, Smoke broke the silence. "You really are a pretty little thing, aren't you? I'll bet folks tell you that all the time. Yeah, I'll bet they love that long pretty hair and those big purple eyes, don't they?" Duo felt Smoke's voice go over him like a trail of slime. He shivered at the sound.  
  
"Look, mister, thanks for the sandwich. I'm just going to leave and get out of your way. Thanks again." Duo headed quickly for the door, but Smoke was there before him.   
  
"Oh no, you can't just take my food and run. I've done something nice for you and now you've got to do something nice for me. That's the way the world works, kid. It's time you learned that." Duo backed away as Smoke left the door and walked towards him. Duo, however, wasn't planning to let Smoke do whatever he was planning. Small and quick, he faked left and ran right, trying to dodge Smoke and reach the door. Although he did get to the door first, Smoke was right behind him and slammed his hand on the door, keeping Duo from opening it.  
  
Smoke grabbed Duo's shoulder and turned him around. He took a fistful of Duo's raggedy shirt and lifted him up so their eyes were even. "Now, boy, you're going to find out how to repay me. And if you're good, I won't show you what I do to those who piss me off."   
  
Smoke grasped Duo's chin with his free hand and smashed his lips against the frightened boy's. Duo was disgusted and terrified. He struggled, trying to break free of Smoke's grasp, but he just wasn't strong enough. Smoke pinned his head against the door with his mouth and used the hand that had been holding Duo's chin to reach down into the boy's pants. Duo froze briefly as the man began to molest him. Then with renewed energy brought on by a surge of pure panic, Duo managed to kick Smoke hard in the leg.  
  
Smoke let out a shout and took his hand from Duo's prepubescent member. Duo's brief sense of victory was over all too quickly, however, as Smoke used his free hand to viciously slap the boy. Dazed from the force of the blow, Duo barely felt Smoke drop him to the ground and pull him towards the couch. He felt his bruised cheek and bloodied lip being pressed into the seat of the couch as Smoke knelt behind him. He felt Smoke pull his pants and underpants down and his mind went blank as he finally realized what was about to happen to him. All Duo would ever remember about the rest of that night was a deep sense of humiliation and constant and unending pain. **  
(End flashback)  
  
Wide-awake at 4 a.m., Duo lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He thought about his first night with Smoke and everything that had happened afterwards. Smoke had taken Duo to the hospital the next morning. He'd told the doctors that the boy had been injured in a fight. Though suspicious of the story, the doctors had no choice other than to believe Smoke when Duo refused to answer any of their questions about what happened. All he could do was stare into space and agree to whatever Smoke said.  
  
After being treated and released, Smoke had taken him home. He'd told Duo that he'd have to be repaid for the cost of the medical bills. When Duo mumbled that he had no money, Smoke had offered him a proposition. Work for Smoke until the debt was paid off - Smoke would let him know when it was - and Smoke would make sure Duo had a job and a place to stay. Unable to see the offer for what it was, Duo agreed and found himself a child prostitute at age 12.  
  
Now, eight years later, Smoke was still insisting that Duo's debt hadn't been paid off. Duo knew it was bullshit, but he also knew he had nowhere else to go. Although he knew he was a good mechanic, who would ever hire an ex-prostitute for any respectable work. So, all he could do was continue to work for Smoke and save for that nebulous day when he'd finally have enough to leave. Until then, he would continue to sell himself and to put up with Smoke's abuse, which had occurred at least once a week, every week, since that very first time. Though Duo had grown bigger and stronger over the years, his childhood fear of Smoke, and the deep-seated belief that he owed Smoke his life, kept him from fighting back.  
  
Duo sighed and rolled over onto his side. As he tried to fall asleep, he put thoughts of his crappy life out of his head. Instead, he found himself thinking yet again about Heero as he finally drifted off. For the first time in years, Duo found himself praying. 'Please don't let him look for me … but please, God, let him find me…'  
  
**~~**  
  
"So you're not going to tell me about last night?" Hilde sighed as Duo shook his head. She couldn't understand his reticence. Usually they spent their early evenings comparing customers from the night before. But for some reason, Duo was refusing to tell her about the man who'd picked him up last night. Duo understood Hilde's confusion, but he couldn't help her. He was trying as hard as he could to put Heero forever from his mind and telling her about him wouldn't help.   
  
Hilde finally gave up and they spent the next hour or so chatting about various inconsequential things. Every once and a while, Duo would look across the street to the alley directly across from him. Sure enough, there was Bob. He was waiting there, on Smoke's instructions, to see if Heero showed up. If he didn't, and Duo was praying he didn't, Smoke would find out and probably beat the shit out of Duo at the end of the night.   
  
Duo didn't care. Even if it meant a beating, he didn't want to see Heero again. In a few hours, Heero had somehow managed to weaken years' worth of walls that Duo kept around his emotions. Seeing him again would be too dangerous. 'As if he would even want to come back. As nervous as he was last time, I doubt he'd have any desire to try to hire me again.'  
  
Duo stopped talking in mid-sentence when Hilde suddenly looked past him with a look of surprise. "I don't believe it! It's that guy, Duo, the one from last night. Don't tell me you've actually got a repeat customer. How often does that happen? You must have made quite an impression."  
  
Hilde rambled on but Duo had stopped listening after her initial statement. Conflicting feelings of bitter dismay and blinding hope raced through him. 'It's not him. It couldn't be. She just made a mistake. There are a lot of cars like his. It's NOT him.' Duo took a deep breath and turned around slowly to prove his theory to himself. '*Shimatta*, it is him.' Duo stared at the approaching car that bore the license plates that he had somehow memorized without realizing it. As the car pulled up and stopped in front of him, Duo continued to stare at the car like it were some sort of UFO.  
  
Hilde had noticed his strange reaction and decided to speak up. "Duo, I told you it was that guy again. You'd better go over to him. You know what will happen if Bob sees you refusing a john."  
  
Duo was only half listening until he heard her say the word 'john'. Breaking from his frozen stance, he glared at her. "He is not a john," Duo said harshly. Hilde flinched at his vehemence. Surprised at himself, and at his extremely negative reaction to hearing Heero being called a 'john', Duo sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "It's just that I really didn't want to see this guy again."  
  
"Why not," Hilde asked gently. Duo didn't respond. He had looked back at the car and found his gaze locked with Heero's. He found himself embroiled in a battle of wills. 'Come with me,' Heero's eyes commanded. 'Go away,' Duo's pleaded. After a long moment, Duo closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. He acknowledged Heero's victory. Of course he would go with him. It was what he wanted to do more than anything in the world. Barely remembering to say goodbye to Hilde, Duo walked to Heero's car and got in.  
  
**~~**  
  
Once again finding himself in Heero's immaculate living room, Duo just stood there waiting for Heero to speak. Heero had said nothing to Duo when he'd gotten in the car. He'd just given him an unreadable look and pulled off. In fact, he hadn't said anything on the entire ride over. Duo began to fidget as Heero continued to subject him to his intense cobalt stare. 'Come on, gorgeous, say something already,' Duo said to himself.   
  
Heero stared at Duo, not to make him uncomfortable, but because he couldn't help himself. 'He's even more beautiful than I'd remembered.' Heero took in the sight of Duo from his thick, soft, shining hair down to those incongruous old black combat boots. Duo was again wearing a pair of short black cutoffs, completely exposing his long legs. The short-sleeved shirt this time, while still black, was made of Lycra and clung to Duo's torso like a second skin. Heero could only stare at the vision he made.  
  
Heero remained silent, again not to disconcert Duo, but because he didn't know what to say. He'd found the guts to pick Duo up, but now what? 'What do I say? 'I picked you up in order to prove to you that I really am a nice guy.' Or, even worse, 'I picked you up to show you that kindness does exist in the world and you deserve to feel some of it.' Finally, Heero settled on, "Would you like something to eat?"  
  
Duo started at the sudden words. He took a second to comprehend their meaning. Remembering how little he'd eaten in the past two days, he decided he might as well take the guy up on his offer. "Sure," he replied. Without further comment, Heero walked in to his kitchen. Expecting sandwiches or something else quick, Duo sat down on the couch to wait. He'd been sitting on the couch for a while - lost in thought, remembering what had happened there the previous night - when he realized that Heero was taking an awfully long time just to be making sandwiches. Also, there were delicious smells coming from the kitchen. Just as Duo was about to look for him, Heero came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.   
  
Duo's jaw dropped open and he could do nothing but stare at the spread Heero placed before him. In anticipation of Duo's arrival, Heero had made julienne carrots mixed with broccoli, a ham and cheese quiche with a flaky, buttery crust, and piping hot biscuits. There was also a glass of water and a glass of fruit juice. Finally, there was a slice of apparently homemade apple pie. Heero had not been stingy with the portions, either. Duo had never seen this much food at one time in his entire life. He looked up at Heero is utter shock, unable to say a single word.  
  
Heero smiled to himself at the expression on Duo's face. "Eat up. You said you were hungry." He began to actually smile and added, "Go ahead," when Duo just continued to stare. Duo blinked slowly and shifted his gaze down to the feast. Without comment, he picked up the fork provided on the tray and went to work.   
  
Heero watched Duo eat. He felt grateful for his ability to cook as he noticed that Duo was obviously enjoying the meal. Duo was trying to satisfy his severe hunger while still eating slowly enough to savor the food. He also made an occasional 'yummy' noise which made Heero smile. Finally, Duo finished and sat back with his hands on his stomach, clearly stuffed.  
  
"Thanks," Duo mumbled. He had managed to ignore Heero while eating the delicious meal. But now Duo was looking warily at Heero, trying to figure the guy out. 'What in the world is he going to ask me to do that would justify all of this?' Heero guessed the train of Duo's thoughts as Duo stared at him. He cleared his throat and got to the point of his actions.  
  
"I know you're thinking I must want something to have done all of this." At Duo's huff of agreement, he continued quickly, "Well you'd be wrong." He ignored Duo's incredulous stare. "The reason that I did all of this was because I wanted to. You seem like a nice person who needs some help. I don't want anything from you, I just want to help you."  
  
After a moment of silence, Duo said softly, "What in the hell makes you think I need help from you? And what in the hell makes you think I'm a nice person?"  
  
Heero had anticipated Duo's reluctance to accept his motivation and was ready with a response. "I think you need help because you can't honestly tell me you want to remain on the streets." He paused, but Duo just stared at him and said nothing. Taking this for agreement, Heero continued, "And I think you're a nice person because, although you had the chance to rob me blind last night, you didn't. You didn't try to hurt me. You just took what you said you would, covered me with a blanket, and left."  
  
Duo struggled not to squirm under that steady gaze. Heero had hit too close to the mark with his comments. Yes, Duo did hate his life. Yes, he had felt an uncommon bit of compassion towards Heero. But Duo didn't want Heero to be right. He didn't want Heero to be nice. He didn't want to like Heero. Instead he wanted - NO, needed - to believe that Heero was just a jerk like every other guy Duo had known in his post-adolescent life. Determined to prove to himself that Heero was a liar and a hypocrite, he steeled himself and stood.  
  
Heero looked up as Duo stood over him with a rather determined demeanor. He could sense that Duo was up to something, but he didn't know what. He quickly realized what when Duo suddenly knelt in front of him and kissed him hard.  
  
Duo vaguely realized that he was breaking his second rule of no kissing, but he didn't care. He was going to prove to himself that Heero was just an ordinary asshole if it was the last thing he did. Duo felt a sense of impending victory as Heero began to respond to the kiss. He also felt a jolt of electricity flash through him as he attacked Heero's warm firm lips.   
  
'No, this is wrong. This isn't supposed to happen. This isn't the plan.' Heero put his hands on Duo's shoulder, intending to push Duo away. The intent fled along with his restraint when he felt Duo's tongue seek entrance. Heero groaned and gave into Duo's silent request. Tongues battled for supremacy as the kiss went on and on, with only the young men's ragged breathing breaking the silence.   
  
Not wasting any time, Duo took the opportunity to unbutton Heero's shirt. He broke the kiss only to trail his tongue over Heero's torso from throat to the top of Heero's jeans. He then worked his way back up, stopping at Heero's nipples. Heero moaned at the feel of Duo's lips and tongue. Continuing to tease Heero, Duo started to undo Heero's jeans. The sound of his zipper brought Heero back to the present. He took hold of Duo's hands, causing Duo to look up.  
  
"This is not why I brought you here," Heero rasped. "I didn't plan on doing this." Heero started to gently but firmly push Duo away. Duo resisted. 'No, he's not going to get rid of me that easily. I'll just have to raise the stakes.' Determined to successfully prove his point, Duo renewed his attack on Heero's lips. Using Heero's grasp on his hands, Duo pulled Heero off the couch, never breaking the kiss.   
  
Unable to help himself, Heero let Duo continue to kiss him. He was barely aware of the fact that Duo was leading him to the bedroom. Duo stopped at the bed. He broke the kiss long enough to quickly strip Heero of his shirt and jeans. He then pushed the now naked young man onto the bed. Before Heero could react, Duo knelt down and took Heero into his mouth.   
  
Heero flopped back bonelessly onto the bed. As Duo worked him expertly with his mouth, Heero felt a moment of blinding self-hatred. '*Chikushou!* I am such a hypocrite. I told him I didn't ask him here for this and now look at me. I should stop him but I can't. God help me, there's no way I could stop him now.' Groaning in equal parts of pleasure and despair, Heero closed his eyes.   
  
Duo looked up at Heero's groan and decided to bring this little experiment to its natural conclusion. He stood up and picked up Heero's legs. After swinging them onto the bed, Duo took a brief moment to undress himself. Heero could only watch as Duo climbed onto the bed and knelt on either side of him. He closed his eyes again as Duo reached back and took his aching cock in his hand. Heero moaned again as Duo began stroking him slowly.   
  
Duo reveled in his victory. 'I knew I could get him to show his true colors. And now for the coup de grâce.' Duo bent over and put his mouth to Heero's ear. "You like this, ne? You want to fuck me, ne?" Heero let out a gasp. Duo smiled evilly as he went for the kill. "I want you to fuck me," he whispered over and over into Heero's ear and he worked Heero's rock hard erection. But as Duo continued to whisper the words, he realized that he wasn't saying them solely in his attempt to discredit Heero's so-called good intentions. Instead, he realized that deep down he was speaking the truth.  
  
Soon, Heero could take no more. Holding onto Duo, he rolled so that he was lying on top of the other man. Still angry with himself, although he had no intentions of stopping now, he looked down at the beauty lying beneath him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean for this to happen. But, I can't help myself. You make me feel so helpless." Heero leaned down to whisper in Duo's ear, "Please forgive me."  
  
Duo's eyes widened in shock. 'Did he actually just apologize? I can't believe this.' With those few words, Heero had completely ruined Duo's objective. How could he think of Heero as a self-centered jerk after that? He couldn't. The apology had made Duo feel special. By professing his helplessness, Heero had made Duo feel powerful and in control, two feelings Duo had never experienced before.   
  
Closing his eyes, Duo sighed in defeat and wrapped his legs around Heero's hips. As he tried to guide Heero to him, Heero suddenly pushed back. "Wait," he said. Duo opened his eyes to see what he was up to. Heero reached over and pulled open the drawer to his nightstand. He reached in and withdrew a tube of lubricant. Duo watched him warily. Although he knew what the tube was, he didn't know what Heero planned to do with it. None of his other clients had ever bothered with any lubricant. Caring nothing for his comfort, they usually just went for it.  
  
Duo saw Heero put some of the lube on the fingers of his right hand. He closed his eyes at the feel of one of those fingers at his tight entrance. '*Shimatta*,' Duo thought. He realized that Heero was attempting to stretch him in order to make him more comfortable. Duo almost begged him to stop. The display of consideration was too much. Duo felt a slight ache in his chest as the iron band loosened a little more. As a second and then a third finger joined the first, Duo found himself clinging to Heero's shoulders.   
  
Finally, Heero removed his fingers and positioned himself at Duo's now ready opening. Duo buried his face in Heero's neck as Heero slowly entered him. When he was completely seated, Heero paused. "Are you okay," he asked. When Duo nodded, Heero braced himself, withdrew nearly all the way and then thrust in almost to the hilt.  
  
Duo's eyes flew open as Heero hit some unknown spot deep inside of him. Each thrust continued to hit that spot and Duo found himself moaning softly in rhythm with each thrust. This time even Duo couldn't fail to recognize his increasing arousal. He found himself breathing faster and sweating. Shudders began to run through him and he realized that he was even semi-hard. Duo shut his eyes and tightened his hold on Heero, unable to do anything but hold on for dear life.  
  
Finally, after what seemed an all too brief eternity, Heero came, shouting Duo's name and collapsing on top of him. After another moment, Heero kissed the side of Duo's neck and pushed himself off. Duo was incapable of thought as he stared at the ceiling. 'What the hell just happened?' He'd started this hoping to prove that Heero was just another jerk and instead he'd ended up feeling things he never thought he possibly could. To top it off, far from looking like a jerk, Heero had managed to further up his estimation in Duo's eyes.   
  
Duo turned his head to look at Heero who had again fallen asleep. 'This is becoming quite a habit,' Duo thought with a humorless smile. 'He's so beautiful like this, almost as beautiful as when he's awake.' Duo cursed and looked away. 'This has got to stop. I cannot see this man again. Who knows what the hell might happen the next time.' Firming his resolve, Duo got of the bed slowly so as not to wake Heero. As he got dressed, he thought about how to make sure Heero wouldn't be tempted to seek him out again.   
  
'He liked the fact that I didn't steal from him the last time? Well, it's time I rectified that.' Duo looked around and noticed a gold watch laying on the nightstand. 'Perfect,' he thought. He quickly picked up the watch and pocketed it. 'And now for the money.' He picked up Heero's discarded jeans and took out his wallet. He removed all of the cash in the wallet. But as he looked over at Heero again, he found himself hesitating. After a moment, he replaced all of the money except for $300 dollars, calling himself all kinds of idiot. 'Hell, this is less than what I usually charge for what we just did. But, I just can't make myself clean him out.' Still berating himself, he replaced the wallet and went into the living room to find the phone.  
  
In the living room, Duo saw a small statuette on a table near the front door. It was an ugly piece, the kind that came with furnished apartments. 'Still, someone might buy it. Besides, this is just an attempt to piss him off.' He picked up the statuette and found the phone. After calling Bob to pick him up at the same intersection as before, Duo went back into the bedroom.   
  
As he took a last look at Heero, he found his sense of regret from the night before magnified a hundred times. 'I'm never going to see him again.' The thought brought relief although that feeling was outweighed by a crushing sense of despair. He took the gold watch from his pocket and held it in his hand as he continued to watch the sleeping young man. After a moment, he made a decision. 'Screw Smoke. I'll give him the statuette, but I'm keeping the watch. Maybe I'm just a masochist but I want something to remember him by.' Resisting the urge to kiss the sleeping man, Duo took one last look and walked away.   
  
**~~**  
  
"You did what!?" Duo watched impassively as Smoke ranted. "You stupid little whore! Now that guy will never come back."   
  
'That's the idea, asshole,' Duo thought as he watched Smoke pace in front of him.  
  
"Not only did you loose a good customer, but to top it all off, all you bring me is a measly $300 and a shitty little statue?" Duo could feel the watch in his pocket but said nothing. Suddenly Smoke stopped in front of Duo and gave him a hard open-handed slap. 'He must be really pissed off if he's hitting me in the face,' Duo mused as he shook his head to clear the ringing.  
  
Smoke sneered as he looked down at Duo. "Duo, my boy, you've got to start trying harder than this if you ever plan on paying off your debt to me. Looks like I'm going to have to give you some incentive." Duo didn't bother trying to dodge the fist that was aimed at his stomach. He knew from experience that the less he resisted a beating from Smoke, the quicker it would end. Bracing for another blow, Duo smiled to himself as he felt the watch in his pocket pressing against his leg.   



	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
'Please let him still be in the same place,' Heero prayed as he headed out the door of his apartment. Ever since he'd awakened the previous night to find Duo gone, along with his gold watch and statuette, he'd spent the entire day anxiously waiting for the chance to go look for him. All he'd done at work was stare at the clock. When the day was finally over, he'd rushed home to change clothes. While he was changing, he'd turned on the news.  
  
Now, as he got in his car, Heero felt a renewed sense of urgency. The story he'd seen on the news had made his blood run cold with terror. Now as he sped through the streets towards Duo's neighborhood, he just hoped that Duo was there and that he was okay.   
  
**~~**  
  
Duo stood on the street corner looking anxiously down the street. "Where the hell is she," he asked himself out loud. He'd spent the day tending his bruises and black eye and waiting for Hilde to call. He hadn't seen her all day, which was very unusual. They were best friends and tried to spend as much time together as possible. Duo knew that without her, there was no way he'd have survived on the streets for as long as he had. She was a tough, smart girl and she'd taken Duo under her wing from the moment they'd met.  
  
Duo wondered where she could be. She wasn't at home and he hadn't found her in any of their usual haunts. He'd been looking for her all day. Heero had continued to plague his thoughts and he desperately needed someone to talk to. Now, as dusk approached, he began to get really worried.  
  
Thinking about Hilde, Duo's mind didn't initially register the car driving towards him. Shock didn't begin to describe his state of mind when he finally noticed and recognized the car. When Heero got out and walked towards him, Duo could only stare in disbelief.  
  
"You're crazy! What in the hell do you want from me," Duo yelled when he was finally able to speak.  
  
In contrast to Duo's outburst, Heero replied in an intense but quiet voice. "I want you to come with me."  
  
"NANI!?" Duo couldn't believe his ears. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I want you to come with me and to never come back here ever again. Don't you understand, Duo, that you shouldn't be living like this? Let me help you. You deserve so much better."  
  
"How do you know what I deserve? You don't know anything about me!"  
  
"I know that you're a kind person. I know that you're a good person. I know that you shouldn't be out here having to sell yourself just to survive."  
  
Duo screamed in frustration at Heero's calm, sure demeanor. "You don't know anything of the kind! You think I'm a nice person? For Christ's sake, I just robbed you! I stole from you!" Duo growled as Heero just stared calmly at him. "Arghhh! What are you, an idiot? I am not a nice person, Heero. I do not want your help. I do not need your help. Just go away and leave me alone!"   
  
Heero's manner didn't change as he responded, "You don't need my help, ne? Look at yourself. I'm betting those bruises don't stop at your face." Finally, Heero's voice became more emphatic as he said, "Duo, you're beautiful. How could you let someone hurt you like this? How could you think you deserve such treatment?"  
  
"I can take care of myself," Duo replied coldly. "I've been doing it for eight years."  
  
"Yes, I can see that. That black eye is a testament to your skills." Heero took a deep breath and tried to calm down when Duo winced at the cruel statement. "Look, Duo. I know you can take care of yourself. The fact that you're still alive proves that. But, Duo, how long do you think your luck will hold out."   
  
Duo said nothing. Heero sighed. "Tell me this then. Where is your friend, that woman I've seen standing here with you?"   
  
"Hilde," Duo asked, confused. "What do you know about her?"  
  
"Is that her name," Heero asked sadly. "Duo, before I came over here, I was watching the news. There was a report about a young prostitute who'd been found dead in an alley. She'd been beaten to death, presumably by a customer." Heero paused, looking at the dawning realization on Duo's face. "It was your friend, Duo. It was Hilde."  
  
Duo went pale. 'No. God, please, not Hilde.' Hilde had been his lifeline. She'd taken care of him when he was bruised. She'd held him when he'd cried. As he thought about the petite, black-haired girl who'd meant so much to him, he started to shake. "Oh my God," he said in a whisper.   
  
"Duo, I'm so sorry," Heero said sincerely. "But, please, I don't want you to end up like her. I don't want to have to hear about you on the news one night." Heero's voice dropped to a near whisper as he continued, "I care about you too much for that. If something happened to you, it would kill me."  
  
Duo looked up, surprised. It was all too much at once. 'Hilde's dead … you care about me … Hilde's dead … you care…' The two thoughts chased each other endlessly through his mind. Weakly he said, "Why do you care? I stole from you …" His voice trailed off as Heero smiled.  
  
"Yes, I know that you stole from me. I know that you took my watch and that ugly little statue that came with the apartment. I know that you cleaned out my wallet. No, wait. You didn't, did you? You left me most of my money." Heero looked pointedly at Duo's left wrist. "Tell me Duo, how much were you planning to sell that watch for."  
  
Duo followed Heero's gaze. He'd forgotten that he was wearing the watch. 'Busted,' he thought as he looked back up. Heero was still looking at him intently. Duo looked away, unable to meet those beautiful eyes.   
  
Heero continued, "But I also know why you stole from me." Duo looked up quickly, confused. Heero went on, "Don't think I didn't see your face when I apologized to you last night. For some reason, you were terrified. I know that you took those things thinking it would keep me from looking for you."   
  
Duo looked down again. Heero was right on the mark. Somehow he'd seen through Duo's ploy. "Duo," Heero said softly, "you don't have to be afraid of me. I could never hurt you. I could sooner hurt myself." The quiet intensity and certainty behind that profession had Duo terrified all over again.   
  
Heero saw that Duo was shaking but continued anyway. He had to. Both of their futures depended upon the outcome of this confrontation. "Duo, I told you before that I didn't expect anything from you. I wasn't kind to you because I wanted anything. I didn't cook for you because I expected some sort of payback. I didn't make love to you instead of just trying to fuck you because I wanted you to be indebted to me."  
  
Duo closed his eyes. He felt like he was on sensory overload. He couldn't handle the emotions racing through him as Heero spoke. "Do you know why I did those things, Duo?" Duo tried to breath. "Do you?" Duo held his breath.  
  
"Aishiteru, Duo."  
  
Duo opened his eyes and looked at Heero. Other than that, he stood as still as a statue. His mind was completely blank. He wasn't equipped to process the mind-boggling confession Heero had just made. He just stared as the world he knew spun away.  
  
Duo might have stood there forever if right at that moment Smoke hadn't yelled, "What the hell is going on here?" Heero reluctantly looked away from Duo in time to see an extremely ugly blond and a huge, hulking baldheaded man walking towards him.   
  
Smoke looked at Duo, who still stood frozen. Smoke frowned. Duo didn't even seem to register his presence. He'd heard Duo yelling from down the street and had brought Bob along to investigate. Now he looked from Duo to the young man standing slightly apart from him. The Asian man was looking silently at him and Smoke had the good sense to feel intimidated at the silent menace in his expression.  
  
"Who the hell are you," he asked brashly, attempting to cover his nervousness.   
  
"He was Duo's last customer," Bob said in his toneless basso.  
  
"Is that right?" Smoke figured that the guy had come looking for his stolen property and was harassing Duo. What he didn't understand is why Duo looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Well, what the hell do you want?"  
  
"I've come for Duo," Heero said in a low monotone.  
  
Smoke couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. "Oh, really? Duo's one of my top moneymakers. You think I'm just going to let him go with you for free?"  
  
"I don't care what you think. Duo is leaving with me." Heero looked at Duo for a moment and then back at Smoke. "Are you the one who hurt him," Heero asked quietly. He was furious, but only those who knew Heero well would realize it.   
  
Smoke was unfortunately not one of those people. "So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?" Smoke looked over at Bob and then turned back to Heero with a condescending smirk.  
  
"Omae o korosu," Heero replied.  
  
Smoke didn't understand Japanese and missed the threat. So he just shrugged and said, "Well, whatever, it's time for you to go. Bob, why don't you help him leave."  
  
Heero glanced briefly at Duo who still stood staring into space. He took a few steps away from him, drawing attention away from the frozen young man. Seeing that Duo wasn't in any immediate danger, Heero turned his attention to the giant man approaching him. Bob planned to rough the guy up a bit and then put him in his car so he could leave. At least, that was his intention. The young man's expression never changed as Bob neared him. He never showed any sign of nervousness or even concern.   
  
Seeing this lack of response, Smoke encouraged, "Teach this kid a lesson." Bob pulled back his fist to land a roundhouse punch to the silent young man. However, rather than the punch connecting with Heero's face, Bob found himself connecting with the ground. He held one hand to his bruised throat and one to his broken and bloody nose.  
  
Smoke stared at the kid in horrified disbelief. He'd never seen anyone move so fast. Heero had taken Bob out with the deadly precision that had earned him the nickname "the perfect soldier" in his karate class. His sensei had actually had the moniker embroidered onto Heero's black belt. Heero looked down at Bob. Determining him to be out of commission, he turned his attention to Smoke.  
  
Smoke may have been ugly and mean but he wasn't completely stupid. Heero looked towards him only to find a gun pointed at his face. Smoke wanted this guy gone and wasn't about to try to fight him fairly. Heero looked at him without an ounce of concern. Smoke was confused at the lack of response but decided to put it down to stupidity. "Say goodbye, kid." In the next instant, Smoke felt a shattering pain at the back of his head. He hit the ground and knew no more.  
  
Duo stood over the unconscious Smoke with a brick in his hand. He looked from Smoke to the brick and then back to Smoke. He dropped the brick and backed away, not taking his eyes off of Smoke. When Heero had moved away from him, this had put him out of Bob and Smoke's line of sight. Duo had noticed only barely when Heero had taken care of Bob without any effort. But when Smoke had held the gun on Heero, Duo had reacted without thought. Moving up behind Smoke, he'd struck him on the back of the head as hard as he could with a brick he'd found nearby.  
  
Duo couldn't believe what he had done. For eight years, Smoke had humiliated and abused Duo almost daily. In all of that time, even after he'd grown up enough to be able to fight back, Duo had never even tried to defend himself. But when Smoke had threatened Heero, Duo had felt a blinding anger that reached through his numbness. His only thought was that he had to protect this man, with his own life if necessary.   
  
Determining that Smoke was not getting up anytime soon, Duo finally looked up at Heero. Neither spoke as cobalt and amethyst eyes locked. After a moment, Heero wordlessly stepped a bit closer to Duo and held out a hand.   
  
Duo stared at the outstretched hand. He knew that it represented both the hope of a new life and the terror of the unknown. He knew that Heero would offer no help. This decision had to be completely his alone. He could take Heero's hand and take a chance that everything Heero had been saying hadn't been complete bullshit. Or, he could turn around and walk away, going back to the pathetic life he'd been living. A life he'd have to live completely alone, now that Hilde was gone.   
  
Heero found himself holding his breath as he waited for Duo to decide. 'He looks so lost and so alone, but there's nothing else I can do. I've said all there is to say.' He understood the magnitude of the choice he was asking the other man to make. All he could do was wait and hope that he'd gotten through to Duo in some small way.  
  
They stood there for an endless moment. Suddenly, Duo closed his eyes and let out a shuddering sigh. For one horrible instant, Heero thought that Duo was going to turn around and walk away. But Duo opened his eyes and meeting Heero's gaze, took Heero's proffered hand. Heero felt almost faint at the enormity of the relief that flowed through him. He closed his eyes briefly and resisted the urge to clasp Duo to him. Instead, squeezing the hand in his, he turned and led Duo to his waiting car.  
  
**~~**  
  
Neither spoke on the ride to Heero's apartment. Duo sat staring out of his window. Heero looked over at him and recognized the signs of shock. Duo was still unnaturally pale and his face was covered by a sheen of sweat. His breathing was ragged and too fast and his pupils were slightly dilated. Heero stepped on the gas, wanting to get Duo home as soon as possible.  
When they finally reached the apartment, Heero got out quickly and went to help Duo out. Duo was not resistant but was about as responsive as a marionette with no strings. Heero maneuvered him into the apartment and sat him on the couch.  
  
Duo could barely remember the trip to the apartment. He'd felt Heero help him into the house as if he were in a fog. Now, as he sat motionless on the couch, he was barely aware of Heero going into the bathroom and then of the sound of running water. Heero came back into the living room and took Duo's hand, pulling him off of the couch. He walked Duo into the bathroom where the hot water of the shower was causing the room to fill with steam.  
  
Heero knew that his first priority was to get Duo warm. Shock lowered a person's blood pressure to the point where they felt as if they were freezing. A person in this condition would shake and shiver uncontrollably until utterly exhausted. Heero had decided that the easiest way to give Duo a warming shower would be to go in with him. Heero quickly stripped first himself and then Duo. Although Duo was always beautiful to him, Heero felt no desire at the sight of Duo's nakedness other than the desire to take care of him. Taking hold of Duo's hand, he pulled him into the shower.  
  
The first true sensation that Duo felt since the moment Heero had confessed his feelings were the stinging streams of the hot shower. Duo had felt unbearably cold and the hot water was a welcome relief. As he turned his face up to the warm cascade, he realized that Heero was in the shower with him. He felt Heero's hands in his hair, gently undoing his braid. 'Oh well, there goes the first rule. Guess that makes it a clean sweep,' he thought idly. Any concerns he had about Heero seeing him with his hair down vanished as Heero began to wash the lengthy mass.  
  
Duo closed his eyes and sighed at the feel of Heero's hands massaging his scalp. Recovering from his shock, he thought about what had just happened. Although he knew that he had essentially made the decision to trust Heero with his life, he felt no qualms and no regrets. Instead, as was typical of him, his thoughts turned to how he could ever repay Heero for what he'd done. Although he'd heard when Heero had told him he'd done everything simply out of love, Duo had lived in the world of quid pro quo for too long. To Duo, Heero's kindness, and even his love, was a debt that must be satisfied.   
  
Heero was unaware of Duo's thoughts as he finished washing his hair. He turned off the shower and pulled Duo out after him. As he dried Duo off, he was pleased to see that Duo's normal color had returned and that his eyes had regained their old awareness. Heero offered Duo a shy smile which was quickly returned. Feeling content for the first time that evening, Heero kissed Duo on the cheek and wrapped a towel around his head and waist.   
  
After wrapping a towel around his own waist, he led Duo into the bedroom. Heero had nothing planned other than sleep. It had been an exhaustingly emotional evening and they both needed to rest. However, when he turned back to Duo after pulling back the covers he stopped short. Duo had removed both of his towels and stood there naked with his unbound hair surrounding him like a curtain of silk. Heero could only stare at the vision in front of him. But when Duo tried to move closer, Heero put his hand on Duo's shoulders and held him away.  
  
"No, Duo," he said softly. At Duo's look of confusion, Heero put one hand on his cheek. Smiling sadly, Heero said, "You do not have to repay me."  
  
In that instant, all of Heero's words finally got through to Duo. Duo inhaled on a shuddering sob. Years of pain and hopelessness were shed as Duo cried like he would never stop. Heero held the broken young man for a moment. Although Duo was shaking with the violence of his sobbing, for the first time, Heero felt like everything would be all right.   
  
As Duo continued to weep helplessly, Heero picked him up. Malnourished and unnaturally slender, Duo didn't weigh much. Heero placed his precious burden in the bed and climbed in next to him. Heero pulled the covers over both of them and pulled Duo into his arms. He continued to hold Duo hours later, long after Duo had finally fallen asleep. Heero was busy planning for their future. A future in which Duo could finally let go of the trauma of his past.  
  
(AN: I could have stopped here but the ideas kept coming, so I pressed on. If you're tired of reading, you may stop now with my blessing. However, if you're enjoying the story, by all means continue on to the next part.) 


	5. Part 5

Part 5   
  
Two years later:  
  
Howard could only shake his head as the braided bishounen finished his lunchtime concert. Everyday at noon, Duo would regale his fellow mechanics and any customers who happened to be around with a musical tribute to old Earth songs known as Dusties. He had a wonderful baritone voice, and as usual he received a rousing response from his captive audience.   
  
With the concert over, everyone went back to work. Howard noticed Duo talking to a female customer. She was in stitches as Duo explained the workings of her carburetor by using hand puppets. Howard could hardly believe that this cheerful jokester was the same person as the sullen young man he'd met only two years ago. Not only had Duo lost his pallor and the haunted look in his eyes, but also he'd gained weight due to Heero's cooking. Duo had become even more beautiful than he'd been before, but this time his outer beauty was matched by an inner peace.   
  
When his good friend Heero had asked him to meet with his new roommate about a job, Howard had readily agreed. He'd known Heero for two years and had nothing but respect for the serious young man. When he'd met Duo, however, Howard had doubted that the deeply depressed kid would live long enough to justify Heero's efforts. Fortunately, Duo managed to slowly rid himself of his despair and had become one of Howard's best mechanics. The kid had a real gift with machines and could return even the most unlikely prospect to working order.   
  
Howard suspected that Duo and Heero were more than just roommates, but he wasn't judgmental. He was very fond of both young men and was just glad they were both happy.   
  
Duo said goodbye to his still chuckling customer and turned to work on her busted carburetor. His Temptations selection had gone over very well that afternoon and it only increased his already jubilant mood. 'Not that anything could bring me down right now,' he thought. Yesterday was he and Heero's two-year anniversary and it had been a night to remember.  
  
Duo had begged, pleaded with, and nagged Heero for an entire week. Finally, Heero had given in and agreed to take Duo to a new nightclub that had just opened in their neighborhood. Duo had sweet-talked Heero into wearing a tight, sexy pair of leather pants. He'd looked good enough to eat, and Duo intended to. After a wonderful dinner at their favorite restaurant, they spent the rest of the night dancing at the club. Or rather, Duo danced and Heero ogled him. Finally, they went home and spent the rest of the night having mind-blowing sex, even though they were both exhausted.   
  
Duo smiled as he remembered that he'd tried to go to sleep but that Heero refused to let him. Yes, his koibito was insatiable. They had developed a certain daily ritual. Heero would wake Duo up every morning for work. They would take a shower together, which usually resulted in them doing things other than showering. Then Heero would fix Duo's hair. Heero was obsessed with those long chestnut locks. Duo couldn't remember the last time he'd actually washed, brushed, or braided his own hair.   
  
When they finally left the house, Heero would take Duo to the garage since it was on his way to his own job. They would then kiss goodbye and would usually spend the rest of their day counting the hours until they could see each other again. After getting off of work, Heero would swing by and pick Duo up. It was when they got back home, however, that things sometimes got interesting.   
  
For a quiet guy, Heero could be rather creative. Duo almost blushed as he remembered the 'dishwashing' incident. Heero had cooked so it was Duo's turn to do the dishes. He hated the chore and would usually listen to his headphones to help pass the time. That particular evening, Duo was jamming to Metallica when Heero suddenly appeared behind him. Without a word of warning, Heero had reached under Duo's t-shirt with one hand and into his sweat pants with the other. Duo could hear nothing but heavy metal and his own shouts as Heero jerked him off right there at the sink. Fortunately, only one plate had been lost.  
  
Of all the things Duo loved about Heero, and they were many, Heero's innate sexuality was definitely near the top of the list. He could be tender or he could be forceful. He could be dominant or, when Duo was so inclined, he would bottom most gracefully. But, whatever the tone of their encounters, Heero was always considerate and mindful of Duo's past.  
  
The present rapport between them hadn't always existed. Duo could admit that he'd been a mess when Heero first took him in. Those first few weeks were rough for both of them. However, towards the end of their first month together, Duo took his first big step towards ridding himself of his heavy emotional baggage and obtaining his current peace of mind.  
  
(Start flashback)  
**Heero woke and looked at the man sleeping in his arms. Duo had cried for what seemed like hours before finally falling asleep. Heero was worried that Duo would hate him for having seen him in such a vulnerable state. But there was nothing he could do about it now, so Heero sighed and got up slowly so as to not wake Duo.   
  
Duo slept for the rest of the day. Heero knew that he had to be worn out after the big emotional draining he'd just gone through. So he let Duo sleep. Heero was fixing dinner later that evening when Duo finally made an appearance. He said nothing as Duo walked by him without a word and sat on the couch in the living room. Heero wanted to ask Duo how he felt but was afraid of Duo's reaction. So he just sighed to himself and turned back to the stove.  
  
Duo was far from angry. However, he was extremely embarrassed and couldn't even make himself meet Heero's eyes, let alone actually speak to him. He watched television while Heero worked in the kitchen. After a half hour of silence, Duo began to feel ashamed of himself. 'He's been nothing but nice to me. He's given me a place to stay and is even feeding me, asking nothing in return. Hell, he even told me he loved me and this is how I repay him? Get it together, Duo!'  
  
"Do you need some help," he asked.  
  
Heero looked up quickly at the hesitant question. "No," he replied. "Dinner's ready. Just have a seat."  
  
They ate in further silence, Duo still refusing to meet Heero's gaze. Heero glanced at him. He was beginning to understand how Duo thought and could guess what was bothering him. 'It's not just embarrassment. I'll bet he's thinking that he's done nothing to earn this, that he needs to repay me.' Heero knew that only time would cure Duo of his quid pro quo mentality. In the meantime, Heero had thought of a way to make Duo feel better about their situation.   
  
"Duo, you're a mechanic, ne?"  
  
Duo looked up in surprise. "How did you know," he asked.  
  
"When we first met, I remember you talking about my car. I remember being amazed at how much you seemed to know about it."  
  
Duo's surprise increased. He couldn't believe that Heero had actually paid that much attention to his idle chatter. "Well, yeah. I've always been good with my hands." Heero blushed at the double entendre and Duo felt his mouth quirk in a small smile. "Anyway, I've been fixing things since I was kid."  
  
"Okay," Heero replied. "How about I take you to meet a friend of mine tomorrow. His name is Howard and he owns his own car repair shop. He's been looking for another mechanic and I think he'd like to meet you."  
  
Duo stared at him for a moment. His debt continued to pile up. He sighed as he nodded in acquiescence. "Aa, and by the way," Heero continued, "if you get the job, you can help with bills and stuff if you want." With that, Heero turned his attention back to his plate. Duo's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it. Not only had Heero figured out Duo's dilemma, he'd provided the perfect solution. Duo nodded again, unable to respond in any other way.  
  
After dinner, Duo announced his intention to go to bed. He was still drained and felt he could sleep for at least another day. Heero nodded and went to his linen closet. Duo watched him and was puzzled when Heero returned with a sheet and a blanket. 'Of course, idiot. He wouldn't want you to just keep sleeping in his bed.' But Heero had again fathomed Duo's thoughts and said, "No, I'll sleep out here. You can have the bed."  
  
Duo looked at Heero as he realized what was going on. 'Lord, save me nice guys,' he thought. Duo didn't want to chase Heero out of his own room. But, more importantly, he didn't really want to sleep alone. "Heero, you don't have to sleep out here. We can share the bed. I mean, it's not like we haven't done it before." Before Heero could protest, Duo interjected "Besides, I don't know about you but all I want to do is sleep."  
  
As Duo walked toward the bedroom, Heero decided that it would be silly to continue to argue the point. He didn't want to sleep on the couch. He was just trying to be considerate of Duo's feelings. What he really wanted was to sleep next to the young man who'd come to mean so much to him.   
  
They lay apart as they slept until Heero awoke suddenly. He wondered why he was awake when he heard Duo shout in his sleep. Obviously in the clutches of a nightmare, Duo called out again and began to trash around. Heero put his hand on his shoulder and shook him. "Duo," he said softly. "Duo, wake up. You're having a nightmare." But Duo refused to awaken. Left with nothing else to do, Heero pulled Duo to him and held him. Duo immediately began to quiet down. Satisfied that Duo was finally sleeping peacefully, Heero closed his eyes and fell back to sleep. They remained in each other's arms for the rest of the night.  
  
The next morning, Heero took Duo to meet Howard. Duo and Howard immediately took to each other. After asking Duo only a few questions, Howard gave Duo the job. Duo was beyond grateful. He'd been feeling like a leech, sucking up Heero's kindness and giving nothing back. Now, he'd be able to contribute something, even if it was only money.  
  
Duo started work the next day. He and Heero quickly fell into a routine. They would go to work every morning and would come home and eat dinner together every evening. During and after dinner they would watch television or sometimes they would talk about anything and everything. Duo eventually told Heero the entire sordid tale of his past. Heero wasn't at all disgusted or judgmental. Neither did he offer Duo pity. Rather he just accepted and offered understanding.   
  
They continued to sleep together but were careful to keep to their own sides of the bed. Well, actually, Heero was careful. Duo tended to sleep however he wanted. His tendency to end up flush against Heero during the night wasn't completely random either.  
  
After the first two weeks, Duo realized that he loved Heero. He loved the man who had taken him off of the streets and who had given him a new life without asking anything in return. He loved how Heero would look at him when he thought Duo wouldn't notice, intense cobalt clearly broadcasting his feelings. He loved how Heero looked sheepish and would blush every morning when he found Duo pressed up against him. And he loved how beautiful and sexy Heero was without even trying.  
  
By the end of the first month, Duo had had enough. He was fed up with Heero's consideration and kid-glove treatment. Duo knew he was in love with Heero and he wanted Heero to know too. Also, Duo was sexually frustrated, a feeling he was unfamiliar with and didn't like in the least. Laying in bed beside Heero every night and not being able to touch him like he wanted to was driving him absolutely crazy. Duo decided that that night, their one-month anniversary, he would bring his enforced celibacy to an end.   
  
Heero could tell that Duo was up to something. He looked askance at the smiling bishounen when he picked Duo up from work. Duo was unusually chatty during dinner and Heero could feel Duo looking at him almost constantly. By the time they went to bed, his nerves were screaming. He let Duo take his shower first. As he finally took his, he spent the time trying to puzzle out Duo's strange behavior.  
  
His questions were answered when he went into the bedroom. There Duo was, lying in bed, wearing nothing but his gleaming unbound hair and a smile. Heero stopped and stared. 'Now what,' he groaned to himself. He'd spent the last month in a self-imposed hell. Sleeping next to Duo every night was sheer torture. But Heero was determined to be considerate of Duo's feelings. Now, he didn't know what to think.  
  
Heero continued to stand frozen in place as Duo got off the bed and walked toward him like a panther stalking its pray. Duo put his arms around Heero's neck and stood so close that their lips were almost touching. Duo purred, "You've been a very good boy, Heero, but I think it's time we ended this little standoff, ne?" Heero opened his mouth to speak and Duo interrupted him with a kiss. After a moment, he backed off and said, "I know what you're going to say and you're wrong. This has nothing whatsoever to do with gratitude." He then leaned over to Heero's ear and whispered, "I want you to make love to me, Heero, because … because I love you."  
  
Heero closed his eyes and exhaled. He might have thought he was dreaming if not for being able to feel a very real Duo pressed up against him. He met Duo's eyes and smiled. Then their lips met and nothing further was said. They walked together toward the bed and fell so that Heero was lying underneath Duo.   
  
They kissed for a few moments more but Duo was impatient. He left Heero's mouth to work his way down past Heero's muscled chest and stomach, ending up at Heero's hard cock. Duo took it into his mouth without further ado. Heero gasped and dug his hands into Duo's hair. It had been so long that he knew he couldn't take much more of this.   
  
Heero was driving Duo crazy with his sexy growls and moans. He looked up when Heero suddenly pulled rather urgently on his hair. The look in Heero's eyes told Duo everything he needed to know. He moved up to straddle Heero, never breaking eye contact. He paused only briefly to get the lube out of the nightstand drawer. He put some in his palm and applied to Heero with long, slow stokes.   
  
"Ima, Duo," Heero cried as he felt himself start to lose it. Duo lowered himself onto him and started to ride. Heero was lost to all thought as Duo's tightness surrounded him. Duo, for his part, was equally lost except that he had the presence of mind to ask himself why in the hell he'd waited so long to do this. As he rode Heero, he felt a terrible pressure building within him. He gasped for air and flung his head back trying not to get lost in the sensations. But Duo could do nothing when Heero grabbed his unbearably hard erection and started to work his hand up and down.   
  
Duo's eyes flew open, but he couldn't see. Heero continued to moan, but Duo didn't hear. Duo could barely breath. He felt as if he were standing at the edge of a precipice, staring into the unknown. Duo felt a brief moment of fear, but it dissolved as Heero continued to pump him. Finally, the pressure became overwhelming and Duo stepped off the cliff. He felt as if he were flying through space as he screamed Heero's name in exquisite agony and came in long, hot, endless spurts.   
  
He collapsed bonelessly on top of Heero who had found his own release. Duo felt tears in his eyes. After 20 years, he'd finally been able to trust someone enough to completely let go. The fact that he loved that person with all his heart just made it that much sweeter. "Aishiteru," he whispered. Heero kissed him gently and they fell asleep in each other's arms.**  
(End flashback)  
  
**~~**  
  
A few days later, Howard looked up from the counter when the door opened. He immediately took a dislike to the man who entered the shop. The man was fairly tall and had dirty-blond hair. What turned Howard off, however, were the man's eyes. They were small and gray and had the cold look of a shark. Howard was tempted to tell the man that the shop was about to close. However, a customer was a customer and Howard damped down his disgust long enough to listen to the man complain about his car trouble.  
  
Duo sat in the back office doing some paperwork. He'd finally finished the carburetor job. 'Hmmm, I wonder if Howard will let me give this lady the senior's discount.' Duo was about to go out front to talk to Howard when he heard a voice straight out of his nightmares. '*Smoke!* No way!' Duo backed up back into the office and reached the desk just as his legs threatened to give out. 'What in the hell is he doing here? How did he find me,' Duo asked himself incredulously. 'No, wait. Just calm down.' Duo listened to what Smoke was telling Howard. 'Of all the dumb luck. He's just here about his car.'  
  
Duo sat on the desk and decided to just wait until Smoke left. It wasn't just conceit on his part that made him certain he shouldn't let Smoke find him. The last time he'd seen Smoke was right after braining him with a brick. He was sure to be holding a grudge for that as well as for losing one of his most profitable workers. Duo was beginning to calm down when another mechanic walked into the office, saying, "Hey, Duo."  
  
Duo cringed at the volume of the man's voice. 'Could you be any louder. *Chikushou!* I hope Smoke didn't hear that.' Duo waited nervously, expecting Smoke to barge into the office at any moment. But Duo's luck seemed to be holding up. Smoke finished his business with Howard and left. Duo let out a sigh of relief as Howard came into the office.  
  
"What's wrong, son," Howard asked as he took in Duo's colorless face. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."   
  
Duo looked at Howard for a moment and decided that Howard could be trusted. "Howard, I never told you about my life before we met. I think that I should tell you now." Howard waited for Duo to continue, not saying a word. Duo sighed, "Before I met Heero, I was a prostitute. Actually, that's how I met Heero. He was a customer."  
  
Howard was surprised but he didn't react. He sensed that Duo was putting a lot of faith in him and he didn't want to disappoint. "Heero, rescued me from that life. I've left it behind me, or at least I thought I had." At Howard's questioning look, Duo continued. "That man who was just talking to you, the one with the blond hair… well his name is Smoke and he was my pimp."   
  
'I knew I didn't like that guy,' Howard thought. "How old were you when he found you," he asked gently.  
  
"I was 12." Duo smiled at Howard's shocked expression. "Yeah, I know I was young but it was either that or starve. The orphanage where I lived had been destroyed in a fire along with the people who were taking care of me. I had no other choice." Howard nodded in understanding. The colony could be a rough place, especially for a kid on his own.   
  
"You still look a bit pale, Duo. Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Thanks, man. Actually, I feel a little sick. Smoke affects people that way."  
  
Howard nodded in agreement. "Why don't you go on home?"  
  
"Thanks, Howard. Let me just call Heero and tell him not to pick me up." Duo called Heero's job but he was not at his desk. He left a message. "If Heero doesn't get the message I left, just let him know I've gone home." Howard agreed to pass on the message and Duo left.  
  
The fresh air made him feel much better. 'I was probably just overreacting,' he told himself. Feeling a little foolish, he chuckled to himself as he passed an alley that was midway between the shop and their apartment. Just then, he felt a horrendous pain at his temple. Realizing that he'd just been hit, he could do nothing but sag against the person who'd just attacked him.  
  
"I thought I must have been imagining things when I heard someone say 'Hey, Duo' in that crummy shop. I thought, it couldn't be him. I couldn't be that lucky. But here you are, all grown up and as pretty as ever." Duo thought that he had to be having a bad dream as Smoke spoke. Then he realized that this was all too real as Smoke dragged him into the alley.  
  
"You caused me a lot of trouble, you little bitch. Not only did you give me a concussion with that damned brick, but I also lost a lot of money because of you. None of my other guys were as popular as you were. None of my other hookers have been able to make up the slack. You owe me, boy, and I'm here to collect."   
  
Duo tried to break out of Smoke's hold but he was too weak because of his head injury. Smoke slapped him across the face, worsening his condition. The feeling of being punched in the stomach and being hit in the face by Smoke was surreal. It was as if the last two years of his life had never happened. When he felt Smoke pull down his pants, Duo tried to fight back. But it was too late. He was too weak to offer any real resistance as Smoke took out his anger and frustration on Duo in his most favorite way.   
  
**~~**  
  
"What do you mean, he's not here," Heero asked.  
  
"Duo went home," Howard replied. "Some guy named Smoke came in here and scared Duo pretty bad. He decided to go home. He tried to call you at work, but I guess you didn't get the message."  
  
'Smoke,' Heero thought in shock. 'What in the hell was he doing here?' "I'd better call and make sure he's alright." Howard handed him the phone and Heero called home. When the answering machine picked up, Heero got worried. "We have caller ID. He'd answer if someone was calling from here," Heero mused aloud. He looked at Howard who was wearing a concerned expression. "Don't worry. I'll find him," he said with a reassurance he didn't really feel.  
  
Heero drove slowly along the route he knew Duo would take if he were walking home from the shop. He calmed down and started to feel a bit silly when he didn't see Duo anywhere. 'He was probably just in the shower and couldn't answer.' But when Heero passed the alley, an ice-cold feeling in his gut made him stop. Not questioning his reaction, Heero got out of the car and walked towards the alley. He saw a figure lying on the ground behind a dumpster and his breath caught in his throat.  
  
"Duo!" Heero ran towards his unconscious koibito. He felt as if he were caught in his worst nightmare as he reached Duo and gently turned him over. He groaned in agony as he saw Duo's condition. He'd been beaten so badly that he was covered in bruises and blood. His pants were around his knees and he'd clearly been raped. Heero lifted up his shirt and found bruises on Duo's midsection along with what appeared to be some broken ribs.   
  
Duo opened his eyes at the feel of tears falling on his face. He felt as if he'd been run over by a truck, several times. But when he saw Heero leaning over him, crying, Duo tried to smile. "Hey," he said weakly, his ribs screaming in pain. "It's not as bad as it looks."   
  
Heero was unable to return Duo's attempt at levity. "Who did this," he asked, his voice raspy with unshed tears.   
  
Duo closed his eyes. "Smoke," he said in a whisper.   
  
Heero's face turned into an expressionless mask. "Just hold on, Duo-koi. I'll get you to a hospital." Heero felt as if he were made of ice as he gently picked Duo up and took him to the car. Duo whimpered in pain and Heero cringed. He swore, right then and there, that Smoke would die for what he'd done.   
  



	6. Part 6

Part 6  
  
"Heero, please don't. I don't want you to go after Smoke. I don't want to think about him. I just want us to get on with our lives." Duo pleaded with Heero as they drove home from the hospital. After a few days, Duo had been released. He had several broken ribs and some internal bruising, but he would be all right. Heero had been most concerned about Duo's mental and emotional well-being, but the new improved Duo wasn't going away. Heero's care over the last two years had turned Duo from a neurotic mess into a well-adjusted person.  
  
Duo pleaded with Heero until he broke down and agreed to let things be. Duo wasn't worried that Heero would get hurt by going after Smoke. He remembered how easily Heero had taken care of Bob that night. Rather, he didn't want his Heero-koi to end up in jail. Having to live without Heero would be true hell.  
  
Heero spent the rest of the day waiting on Duo hand and foot. Duo felt silly but loved as Heero refused to let him do anything for himself. That night, Heero held Duo while they slept. Though careful of Duo's healing ribs and bruises, a crowbar would have been needed to break Heero's hold on the violet-eyed boy.   
  
Heero took off work the next few days to take care of Duo. Finally, Duo told Heero to go to work or he would strangle him. Heero's overprotectiveness, while appreciated, was getting a bit stifling. After making Duo promise to take it easy, Heero reluctantly went to work. Duo had no intentions of staying home all day. He'd been cooped up first in the hospital and then in the apartment for over a week. He decided to pack a lunch and spend the afternoon in the park.  
  
Duo would later curse himself for his lack of attentiveness. After two years of living with Heero he'd gone soft, else he would have seen Smoke follow him to the park. After attacking Duo in the alley, Smoke had initially left him for dead. But then he remembered that Duo had the devil's own luck and went back to make sure Duo was indeed done for. Sure enough, when he reached the alley, he saw the same man who'd stolen Duo from him two years ago pick Duo up and put him in his car. Smoke made note of the license plate number and called an old girlfriend who worked at the DMV. She gave him Heero's name and address and Smoke spent the next week staking out the apartment.  
  
When he saw Heero leave that morning to go to work, Smoke knew that his chance had come. He was trying to figure out the best way to break in without causing too much commotion when Duo suddenly left the apartment and walked away. Smoke followed Duo to the park and waited for the perfect opportunity. He found it when Duo stopped in a copse of trees to admire a couple of squirrels playing in the branches.  
  
Duo smiled at the squirrels' antics. 'How great it must be to just be able to run around all day and not have to worry about ex-pimps trying to kill you.' Duo was about to move on when he heard a noise behind him. He turned just in time to see Smoke approach him with his gun drawn. Duo cursed at his own foolishness. He should have known that Smoke wouldn't give up that easily. Duo had just made it easy for him by leaving the apartment and walking through this isolated bit of woods. 'I should have listened to Heero,' he thought as he met Smoke's gaze.  
  
"So, we meet again. I always said that you were tougher than you looked. Not many would have survived that beating I gave you." He gave Duo a slimy smile. Duo considered how he could get away from Smoke but had to discard all ideas. If he'd been in perfect health, he may have been able to outmaneuver Smoke. However, he was still injured from before and knew he wouldn't have a chance.  
  
"I tried to decide the best way to get back at you and your stupid boyfriend. I knew I wanted to kill you but what could I do to him? Then it hit me. I kidnap you and get him to pay a ransom. Then when he comes to collect you, I kill you while he watches. You'll be dead, I'll have the money you two owe me, and he'll have to live with the pain."   
  
Duo tried not to show his fear. "You're a sick bastard, you know that right?" Smoke just smiled and Duo knew he was in trouble. All he could do was hope Heero wouldn't take the bait. But he knew that wish was in vain. Heero would come after him no matter what. All Duo could do was try to be ready to help him when the time came.  
  
**~~**  
  
"I'm home, Duo-koi," Heero called as he opened the door to their apartment. When Duo didn't answer immediately, Heero went to the bedroom to see if he was sleeping. 'Where is he now,' Heero thought as he looked at the empty bed. 'Maybe he went to work.' He was headed to the videophone to call Howard when it began to ring.  
  
"Hello," Heero answered, hoping it would be Duo. His hopes were dashed when Smoke's ugly face appeared on the screen.  
  
"I've got something you want, tough guy." Smoke moved aside enough for Heero to be able to see Duo behind him, sitting tied to a chair and gagged. He clenched his jaw and glared at Smoke as he moved back into view.  
  
"What do you want, you fucking bastard," Heero growled.   
  
"Now, now, be nice, else you'll never see this little bitch alive again." Smoke smirked at Heero. "What I want is what you owe me for taking Duo out of my employ. In three hours, I want you to bring $100,000 dollars to the apartment on South and River. That's Duo's old place when he was still working for me. Don't ya just love it?"   
  
Smoke laughed and disconnected the call. Heero damped down his fear for Duo and got to work. Within two hours, he had the money, withdrawn from his considerable savings, and was speeding down the highway on his way to the South Dock neighborhood. As Heero made his way through the slummy streets he swore that neither he nor Duo would ever step foot in that neighborhood again.   
  
Heero reached the address he'd been given and took a look at the run down building. He shook his head in sadness at the thought of Duo ever living in such a place. Coming back to the present, Heero took the bag of money out of his car and walked around to the back of the building. He was nearly an hour earlier than the time Smoke had told him. He wanted to reconnoiter the building and try to figure out a way to get Duo out without playing Smoke's game. He didn't for a minute think that Smoke would just let Duo walk away.  
  
Heero found a small window near ground level. He got down on his stomach and looked through it. Sure enough it led to the basement and Heero could see Duo still sitting tied to the chair. He pushed against the window and it opened. Thanking whatever god that had allowed the window to be unlocked, Heero slipped into the basement.   
  
Duo turned toward the sound of something hitting the ground lightly. His eyes widened as he saw Heero stand and walk cautiously towards him. 'I must be dreaming,' Duo thought. His brief joy turned to fear as he remembered that Smoke was right upstairs. When Heero removed his gag, Duo said, "Be careful. Smoke is right at the top of the stairs and he has a gun." Heero nodded and worked on Duo's binding. He got Duo's right arm undone and had just finished with his feet when the basement door opened. Heero froze for a moment and then slowly turned.  
  
Smoke stood there in surprise. Heero wasn't supposed to be there for another hour. 'Figures he would try to screw me again, even when I'm holding all of the cards.' Smoke raised his gun and pointed it at Heero. "Where's my money, tough guy?" He followed Heero's gaze to the bag sitting on the floor. "You're not a dumb as you look. Now move away from my merchandise." When Heero moved away from the bag but remained beside Duo, Smoke shook his head. "No, you don't understand. Both the money and Duo are mine. But Duo's ruined goods now. So I'm going to kill him and let you watch him die."  
  
Heero moved so quickly that even Duo couldn't follow. In the blink of an eye, Heero had managed to kick Smoke's gun out of his hand. Smoke yelped in surprise and held his injured hand. "You little punk," he shouted as he charged Heero. Heero easily avoided him and with a little kick sent him flying across the basement floor. Heero was turning back to help Duo when Duo shouted, "Look out! He has another gun!"  
  
Heero whirled back around in time to see Smoke pull another gun from an ankle holster. 'I'm sorry Duo,' Heero thought as he helplessly watched Smoke aim at him and begin to pull the trigger. A shot rang out and Heero shut his eyes. He opened them in the next second as he realized that he felt no pain. He looked over at Smoke and saw him lying on the ground with a hole right through the chest. His eyes were open, staring sightlessly at the ceiling. He was clearly dead.  
  
Heero turned around and saw Duo standing there with Smoke's first gun in his hand. The gun was still smoking. Duo had managed to free his left hand and went for the gun while Heero was fighting Smoke. When Smoke went for his reserve gun, Duo was ready.  
  
Heero walked toward Duo who was staring at Smoke. He reached out and gently took the gun from Duo's hand. Duo blinked and turned toward Heero. "It's okay," Duo said. "It's finally okay." He smiled. Heero exhaled in relief and grabbed Duo to him in an unbreakable embrace. He'd been worried that Duo would be permanently traumatized by the events of the past weeks. But like Smoke was fond of saying, Duo was a lot tougher than he looked.   
  
Heero's love had helped Duo gain a sense of himself. Never would he go back to being the scared little boy he'd been when he'd first met Heero. They knew they'd have to call the police, though they weren't worried. A clearer case of third person self-defense had never existed. But before they did, they stood their holding each other and thought of how they would finally be able to get on with their lives and look forward to a bright future.   
  
~owari~  
  
© January 2 


End file.
